Their astonishment at the Sorting Hat's song was perfectly understandable.
After all, in the past several years, the Sorting Hat had never issued warnings to the students. It only described the qualities valued by the four Hogwarts Houses and the traits it used to sort students.
With the ghosts' explanations, the tension in the Great Hall grew even heavier. The ghosts all knew that the Sorting Hat only sang such songs when it believed Hogwarts was in danger—and when it felt morally bound to give the school a proper warning.
Professor McGonagall pulled out a list of new students and cast a displeased glance over the crowd. With a couple of quiet coughs, she restored order to the hall.
Everyone fell silent, their eyes turning toward the group of new students about to be sorted. But it didn't take long for them to notice that among the small "first-years," one figure looked distinctly out of place.
"Mr. Patrick is a fourth-year exchange student," Professor McGonagall explained. "He will be participating in the Sorting Ceremony alongside the first-years."
Frowning, she scanned the four tables before lowering her gaze to the long parchment in her hands and announcing the first name.
"Euan Abercrombie."
A nervous little boy stumbled forward and pulled the hat over his head. His head was so small that the hat nearly covered his eyes, making him look rather comical.
The Sorting Hat hesitated for a few seconds before the slit at its brim opened wide and shouted, "Gryffindor!"
The students at the far left table broke into loud applause. The boy staggered to his new House table and sat down, looking as though he wished the floor would open up and swallow him whole.
Professor McGonagall called the next name.
"Joanna Brewster!"
This time it was a girl—Jon noticed she was the same one who had shared his boat earlier. Her face, too, was filled with panic.
After placing the hat on her head, nearly a full minute passed before the Sorting Hat finally announced, "Ravenclaw!"
Thunderous applause erupted from the second table on the right. Jon spotted Luna Lovegood among them, cheering loudly with her cork necklace bouncing around her neck.
"Which House should I go to?" Jon wondered.
As someone who'd already been through this before, he naturally didn't panic like the "true" first-years.
The Sorting Hat took one's personal wishes into account—and if you kept repeating what you wanted long enough, you could even sway its decision. It really wasn't that hard to deal with.
But where should he go this time?
Returning to Hufflepuff didn't sound bad. Maybe he'd even get assigned to his old dorm again… though living in a dorm where someone had died might be a little unlucky.
Ravenclaw could also be interesting. He'd only be here for a year anyway—he could give those Ravenclaw door knockers a proper education! Any Ravenclaw who hadn't mastered Lagrange's theorem, Rolle's theorem, or Cauchy's mean value theorem wouldn't be sleeping in their dorm anytime soon.
As for Gryffindor, that wasn't out of the question either. It was only a year, after all. No need to avoid the Chosen One and his friends—tagging along in the background might even be fun.
Slytherin? Definitely not. He was a Muggle-born wizard. Unless Dumbledore swore off sweets for good, there was no way he'd end up in Slytherin.
...
While Jon's thoughts wandered, the Sorting Ceremony continued, and the long line of new students gradually grew shorter.
The wait was getting dull. The whispers that had vanished earlier under Professor McGonagall's stern presence began to rise again around the four House tables.
Jon glanced toward the staff table. Albus Dumbledore was looking straight at him—and even winked.
Jon quickly turned away. His turn was coming up soon.
Tom Newman was sorted into Hufflepuff.
Ronald Noel went to Gryffindor.
Orlando Owen joined Slytherin.
And then...
The Sorting Hat called out the next name in a booming voice. "Chris Patrick!"
...
Jon walked forward calmly, taking the hat from Orlando Owen's hands.
As he placed it on his head, he was already prepared.
"Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff—your choice. I'm not picky…"
But this time, the Sorting Hat didn't even give him the chance to finish.
The moment the hat brushed his hair—
The slit beside its brim widened, and the hat roared, "Slytherin!"
The deafening shout echoed through every corner of the Great Hall.
The far-right table erupted in thunderous applause. Almost every Slytherin student stood, cheering for their newest Housemate, "Chris Patrick!"
Draco Malfoy slammed his fork against his plate and shouted,
"Well done, Patrick!"
...
Jon's smile froze instantly.
"What the hell? Did I hear that right?"
"Slytherin? Since when does Slytherin accept Muggle-borns?"
"Think this through, Sorting Hat! This breaks a thousand years of tradition—you'll owe the entire wizarding world an apology for this!"
Unfortunately, Jon had no chance to argue.
He hadn't even fully put the hat on before Professor McGonagall removed it from his head.
She gave his shoulder a firm pat, signaling for him to head to the Slytherin table.
...
Jon stepped down from the platform, still in a daze.
Out of habit, he started toward the second table on the left—the Hufflepuff table—but laughter erupted all around him, forcing him to change direction toward the far-right Slytherin table.
Draco Malfoy strode forward eagerly and clasped Jon's hand.
"I knew you'd end up in Slytherin, Patrick!" he said excitedly. "As prefect, I welcome you on behalf of Slytherin!"
Crabbe and Goyle grinned stupidly beside him.
Jon forced a smile, feeling it looked just as foolish as theirs.
"Hello!" a familiar voice called from the other side.
Astoria Greengrass had stood up, her tone cool. "Sit here."